Who are the top 10 highest-paid actors in the world? Hollywood stars can still command extraordinary salaries, even as streaming, artificial intelligence and changing cinema habits reshape the entertainment industry.
According to the latest Forbes actor earnings ranking, published in March 2026 and covering earnings during calendar year 2025, Adam Sandler became Hollywood’s highest-paid actor.
Forbes estimates Sandler took home $48 million after representation fees, while Tom Cruise and Mark Wahlberg followed closely behind. The 20 highest-paid actors earned approximately $590 million combined, compared with $730 million a year earlier.
Top 10 Highest-Paid Actors
The figures represent earnings after estimated representation fees and relate primarily to film and television work.
10. Millie Bobby Brown — $26 Million
Millie Bobby Brown has accomplished something unusual. At just 22, Forbes identifies her as the youngest actor ever to appear on its Highest-Paid Actors list.
Brown became internationally famous through Netflix’s Stranger Things. She has since developed an increasingly valuable relationship with Netflix, including additional films and production arrangements.
Her work on the final season of Stranger Things and The Electric State helped push her estimated earnings to $26 million. Her inclusion also signals a generational change in Hollywood.
Unlike older stars who built fame primarily through movie theaters, Brown is fundamentally a streaming-era celebrity.
9. Daniel Craig — $27 Million
Daniel Craig spent years playing James Bond, but his post-Bond career has remained highly lucrative. The success of Knives Out turned his detective Benoit Blanc into another valuable franchise character.
Netflix secured sequels through a major agreement with director Rian Johnson, providing Craig with substantial guaranteed compensation. His latest earnings were estimated at $27 million after representation fees.
8. Jason Momoa — $28 Million
Jason Momoa transitioned from playing Aquaman in the previous DC film universe into new major projects. His involvement in A Minecraft Movie provided another commercially successful franchise.
Momoa has also worked in television, including Apple’s Chief of War. Forbes estimated his entertainment earnings at approximately $28 million.
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7. Jack Black — $28 Million
Jack Black has developed an exceptionally valuable niche in family entertainment. His recent projects have included franchises such as:
- Kung Fu Panda
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie
- A Minecraft Movie
Voice acting and family films can become enormously lucrative when a performer becomes closely identified with successful franchises. Forbes estimated Black’s earnings at $28 million.
6. Denzel Washington — $38 Million
Denzel Washington remains one of Hollywood’s most bankable actors decades into his career. His collaboration with Spike Lee on Highest 2 Lowest reportedly generated an exceptionally large streaming payday.
Forbes estimated Washington earned approximately $38 million after representation fees. His career demonstrates the premium studios and streaming companies are willing to pay for trusted, established stars.
5. Brad Pitt — $41 Million
Brad Pitt earned approximately $41 million. His biggest project was Apple’s F1.
Rather than accepting only a fixed streaming-style buyout, Pitt reportedly secured participation linked to the movie’s financial performance. That became particularly valuable as the film generated more than $600 million at the worldwide box office.
Profit participation has historically been one of the major ways Hollywood’s biggest stars create huge paydays.
4. Scarlett Johansson — $43 Million
Scarlett Johansson is the highest-paid actress on Forbes’ latest ranking. Universal recruited her to help relaunch the Jurassic franchise.
Forbes reports that she received an estimated $20 million upfront for Jurassic World: Rebirth, along with additional profit participation.
She also expanded behind the camera through directing. Forbes estimated her total entertainment earnings at $43 million after representation fees.
3. Mark Wahlberg — $44 Million
Mark Wahlberg has become one of streaming’s busiest major stars. His projects included productions for Apple and Amazon, as well as lower-budget theatrical work.
Forbes reports that Wahlberg commanded an estimated $25 million for Play Dirty alone. His overall earnings reached approximately $44 million.
2. Tom Cruise — $46 Million
Tom Cruise remains one of the world’s most valuable movie stars. His Mission: Impossible franchise has generated billions of dollars across its long history.
For Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise accepted relatively less upfront compensation in exchange for rare participation in box-office revenue.
The structure paid off. Forbes estimated his latest annual entertainment earnings at $46 million after representation fees.
1. Adam Sandler — $48 Million
Adam Sandler is Hollywood’s highest-paid actor on the latest Forbes ranking. His relationship with Netflix is central to his financial success.
Sandler was one of the earliest major Hollywood stars to recognize streaming as a long-term opportunity. His Netflix arrangement provides substantial guaranteed compensation across multiple projects.
During the measurement year, he produced and starred in Happy Gilmore 2 and also appeared in Jay Kelly. Forbes estimates Sandler earned approximately:
$48 million after representation fees or roughly $60 million before those fees.
Summary of the Top 10 High-Paid Actors in the World 2026
| Rank | Actor | Estimated Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam Sandler | $48 million |
| 2 | Tom Cruise | $46 million |
| 3 | Mark Wahlberg | $44 million |
| 4 | Scarlett Johansson | $43 million |
| 5 | Brad Pitt | $41 million |
| 6 | Denzel Washington | $38 million |
| 7 | Jack Black | $28 million |
| 8 | Jason Momoa | $28 million |
| 9 | Daniel Craig | $27 million |
| 10 | Millie Bobby Brown | $26 million |
Hollywood’s Highest-Paid Woman
Scarlett Johansson ranks first among women. Her estimated $43 million placed her fourth overall. The ranking demonstrates that a major franchise can still generate enormous compensation for a leading actor.
Streaming Has Changed Actor Salaries
Netflix, Amazon and Apple have transformed Hollywood compensation. Traditional movie stars often earned:
salary + percentage of theatrical profits
Streaming platforms generally prefer:
large guaranteed salary + buyout
That shifts risk. Actors may give up enormous upside if a project becomes a global hit, but they receive guaranteed compensation regardless of box-office performance.
Robert Downey Jr. Could Shake Up the Next Ranking
One actor could dramatically alter future rankings:
Robert Downey Jr.
Forbes reports that Marvel is paying him more than $100 million guaranteed across two upcoming projects for his return to the Marvel universe as Doctor Doom, before potential performance bonuses.
That makes him a major candidate for future highest-paid-actor rankings.
Is Movie Stardom Dying?
Not exactly. Hollywood increasingly relies on:
- Franchises
- Intellectual property
- Streaming platforms
- Global brands
rather than assuming an actor’s name alone guarantees ticket sales. But studios continue paying eight-figure salaries because stars can still help:
- Secure financing
- Generate publicity
- Attract streaming subscribers
- Sell international distribution
- Increase opening-week interest
The economics are changing. Stardom is not disappearing.
How Forbes Calculates Actor Earnings
Forbes says its estimates were developed using information from:
- Agents
- Lawyers
- Managers
- Studio executives
- Industry experts
- IMDbPro
- Box Office Mojo
The figures cover calendar-year 2025 film and television compensation. Forbes then subtracts estimated representation fees, including agent, manager and legal fees where applicable. Commercial endorsements and unrelated businesses are generally excluded.
Final Thoughts
The modern Hollywood earnings ranking shows just how dramatically entertainment has changed. Streaming platforms now produce some of the largest actor paychecks.
Yet traditional theatrical stars such as Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Scarlett Johansson remain extremely valuable. At number one is an actor who successfully moved from movie theaters into streaming before many of his peers. Adam Sandler is Hollywood’s highest-paid actor on the latest Forbes ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest-paid actor in the world?
On Forbes’ latest complete Hollywood earnings ranking, Adam Sandler ranks first with estimated earnings of $48 million after representation fees.
Who is the highest-paid actress?
Scarlett Johansson, with estimated earnings of $43 million.
How much did Tom Cruise make?
Forbes estimated approximately $46 million after representation fees.
Who is the youngest high-paid actor?
Millie Bobby Brown became the youngest person ever to appear on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Actors ranking at age 22.
Does Forbes include endorsements?
This actor ranking primarily covers film and television income rather than unrelated endorsements and outside businesses.